Episode two: Monstera deliciosa, the swiss cheese plant

This week we move from the enclosed world of the terrariums of last week's show to the weird, wild world of Monstera deliciosa, aka the Swiss cheese plant or split leaf philodendron.

My first guest, the legendary organic gardener Bob Flowerdew, explains how Monstera grows in the wild and what its fruit (yes fruit) tastes like (scroll down for a picture...) while author and historian Ethne Clarke consider's the swiss cheese plant's role as an iconic plant in interior design since the 1950s onward. We also answer a question about a poorly venus flytrap and find out what to do when your Swiss cheese plant reaches the ceiling.

Show notes

Plant Life by Terence Conran on a Midwinter plate. Note the Monstera on the left!

Ceriman is the fruit of Monstera deliciosa ... let me know if you see one for sale in your local supermarket! Photograph: Starr Environmental on Flickr.

Just in case you're a china collector like me, the Midwinter Pottery pattern I mention in this episode during my interview with Ethne Clarke is Plant Life by Terence Conran, which came out in the mid-1950s.

Get in touch

If you'd like to share a picture of your houseplants - especially your Swiss cheese plant - ask a question or make a comment, you can comment below, email ontheledgepodcast@gmail.com or tweet @janeperrone. Do like the On The Ledge Facebook page, too.

The best way to help this podcast spread the houseplant love is by giving a review on iTunes - you can do that here.